Copyright law affects creators, broadcasters, podcasters, publishers, YouTubers, journalists, and digital media companies every day. Understanding where fair use begins—and where infringement risk starts—can mean the difference between confident publishing and an expensive legal problem.
Common Situations
Someone Used My Content
A photograph, video, podcast segment, article, or social media post was copied without permission.
I Received a Copyright Demand Letter
Someone claims my content infringes their copyright and wants money, removal, or both.
Can I Use This Clip?
Before publishing, I want to know whether a clip, recording, image, or excerpt is likely protected by fair use.
Reaction Videos and Commentary
How much transformation is enough? What separates legal commentary from infringement?
Featured Articles
- The Soundbite Trap: How Editing in Radio and Podcasting Creates Legal Risk
- When One Clip Cuts Two Ways: How Copyright and Defamation Risks Collide
- Jimmy Kimmel’s Fair Use Victory
- H3H3 and Transformative Use
- Pop Smoke and Bruno Mars: Lessons in Audio Licensing
- Deepfake Voices and Fair Use
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 30 seconds of copyrighted content?
No fixed number of seconds automatically qualifies as fair use. Courts evaluate purpose, transformation, amount used, and market impact.
Do reaction videos qualify as fair use?
Sometimes. Commentary, criticism, analysis, and transformation matter far more than the amount used.
Can I use a news clip in my podcast?
Possibly. Context, purpose, and transformation all matter.
Can I use copyrighted material if I give credit?
Credit helps ethically but does not replace permission or create fair use.
Need Help Evaluating Fair Use?
If a clip, image, recording, article, interview, reaction video, or AI-generated work presents copyright concerns, Harrison Legal Group can evaluate the risks before publication.